人之贤不肖譬如鼠矣，在所自处耳。
释义Explanation
李斯年轻时担任小吏，见厕所中的老鼠吃污秽之物，见人犬便惊恐逃窜；而粮仓中的老鼠吃积存的粮食，住在大屋之下，无人犬惊扰。他因此感叹：人的贤能与不肖，就像这些老鼠一样，关键在于自己所处的环境与位置。这句话强调环境、平台对个人才能发挥与命运走向的深刻影响，也流露出李斯不甘平庸、力图改变处境的务实进取精神。
While serving as a minor official in his youth, Li Si noticed that rats in a latrine ate filth and lived in constant fear of people and dogs, while rats in a granary fed on stored grain and rested safely under a roof. He thus concluded that a person's worth or mediocrity resembles the condition of rats—it depends above all on the environment one inhabits. This saying emphasizes the deep influence of platform and circumstance on individual ability and destiny, and reveals Li Si's pragmatic drive to escape mediocrity and seek a higher stage.
使用场景Usage
在现代职场或人生规划中，这句话常被用来提醒人们：能力相近的人，若所处平台、行业、城市不同，发展空间可能相差悬殊。选择适合自己发挥的环境，有时比单纯埋头努力更重要。例如求职时评估公司平台、行业前景与资源支持，便是在寻找能让自己如仓鼠般受滋养的位置，而非如厕鼠般挣扎求生。
In modern career or life planning, this line is often used to illustrate that people with similar abilities may achieve very different outcomes depending on their platform, industry, or city. Choosing an environment that allows your strengths to flourish can matter more than sheer effort. For example, when evaluating job offers, one might consider whether a position places you in a 'granary' where your talents are protected and nourished, rather than a 'latrine' where you merely survive.